​The WTA has come under fire from across the tennis world over the way the 2023 Tournament of Champions has been staged, and the governing body of women’s tennis is now facing new challenges after rumors emerged that the next tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia.

The WTA has not decided on the venue for the 2024 Tournament of Champions

According to Reuters, the WTA has not yet decided on the venue for the 2024 Champions Tour.

This year, Cancun was named host less than two months before the competition began, and players complained about the conditions in the Mexican city.

Several media outlets have reported that the WTA finals will move to Saudi Arabia from next year, while the BBC reported that negotiations are in the final stages, with both sides looking to strike a multi-year deal.

“We are in discussions with various groups regarding the WTA Finals from 2024 onwards and we have not made any decisions at this point. As with all WTA decisions, we are working closely with the players and are focused on continuing to build a strong future for women’s tennis,” a WTA spokesperson said in an email.

Shenzhen hosted the 2019 edition under a lucrative 10-year deal, but the event was canceled the following year due to Covid-19 and moved to Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021.

The tournament was expected to return to Shenzhen from 2022, but the WTA suspended the tournament in China due to concerns over the situation of former Chinese doubles player Shuai Peng. The American city of Fort Worth, Texas, hosted the tournament that year and drew a small crowd.

In August, the ATP announced that the Next Gen Finals, a tournament reserved for under-21 players, would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027, becoming the first official men’s tournament held in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has invested huge sums of money in various sports, including football, Formula 1, boxing and golf, and critics have accused the country of using its Public Investment Fund to smear its image through sports. Saudi Arabia rejects accusations of human rights violations and says it protects its national security with the help of its laws, writes Agerpres.